[recruitman]

I just had my set-top box installed for High-Def.


My questions are:


How do I hook it up so I can still use PIP??? right now I can't get a second picture to appear. I am using component cables for High-def. And and using the set-top box to control the TV. Even when I go to Antenna (cable) I still can't get PIP to work.


Are "REAL" HDTV signals in wide screen 16:9 or 4:3 aspect??? I seem to be able to only watch High-Def in 4:3 aspect...


Are all HTDV broadcasts the same??? Some look amazing and some just look OK...I was wondering if it was my equipment or the signal - The cable guy installed a signal booster as well.


Thanks,


I have tried everything....

 

[Taylormade2]

Did you adjust the aspect ratio on the cable box menus? My cable box has a toggle between 16:9 and 4:3.

 

[RSawdey]

I think PIP only works with SD signals on Sammys... you'll have to check the manual. That's the case on my older model. The Sony LCDs can do HD POP (pic outside pic - side by side)


Your cable box should be set up for a 16:9 TV, outputing 720p over component, and upconverting 480i content to 480p or 720p.


Aspect can be handled by the aspect button on the TV's remote. You won't need that if you output SD at 720p, the STB will handle the aspect.

 

[Rick Kalinowski]

I believe you need to connect the RF cable to antenna 1 for the PIP.

Rick

 

[recruitman]

They way I think the cable guy hooked it up was the cable coming in is going directly to the HDTV set-top box. From there it goes to the Antenna input on the back of the TV. That doesn't seem to work.


I was thinking of hooking the SD cable to the TV then from the Antenna "A" out put going to the HDTV box...I haven't tried this yet.


Does that sound like it may work???? There must be a way to get this to work...

 

[BillP]

Try using a splitter, with one coax going to the STB and the other to the Sammy. I think that's the only way to get PIP.

 

[Salmoneous]

HDTV Signals are 16:9 - should be a setting on the cable box. Note that the 16:9 signal may contain 4:3 programming with black side bars.


There is significant variation in the quality of programming.



My take on PIP on the DLP's. Divide the inputs into two groups


Group A: Antenna, Composite, S-Video

Group B: Component, VGA, DVI


Group A inputs can be put in a window; Group B cannot.


If you have two group A signals, you can have one on full screen and overlay the other in a small window, or you can put them side-by-side.


If you have one A and one B, you can have the B signal on full screen and overlay the A signal in a window on top


If you have two B signals, you can't use PIP

 

[recruitman]

How will a splitter affect the PQ???


Is there a better splitter to buy - I want to get one that will loose as little PQ as possible.


Do you think running the Coax into Antenna A then running the out to the STB will work??

 

[BillP]

A good quality splitter should not affect PQ. Try Acoustic Research (I personally don't think Monster products are any better and are way overpriced). I think either splitting the coax to run to the STB and TV in parallel, or running the coax directly into the TV, and then from the TV to the STB, will probably work. Your best bet is to try both and see which looks better (both in terms of PQ and making PIP easy to do). If you add a VCR or DVD recorder into the picture, then you need a splitter in order to watch something different from what is being recorded.

 

[sooke]

Quote:

Originally posted by BillP Try using a splitter, with one coax going to the STB and the other to the Sammy. I think that's the only way to get PIP.

Do not buy a splitter. Your TV has one built in. You already guessed how to use it:


Use coax to go from the wall ---> TV (ant A in)

Use coax to go from TV (Ant A out) to cable box.

Use component cables to go from cable box ---> TV (Comp 2 or 3 in)


I have the HLN 467 and this works fine for me.


To get PiP to work, you must set one of the TV's menu items correctly. I'm not at home and it has been a while so I may mis-remeber some details but... go to the TV's PiP menu and select STD for one of the items. I can't emember the item name. There are like 3 options, STD is one of them. Sorry this is so vague. But if you look and play a bit I'm sure you'll get it.


A few things to remember:


1) Only Antenna, S-Video, and Composite sources are available in the PiP window. So you can't watch two HD channels at once.


2) Side by side PiP windows are not possible when one of them is from Component or DVI. The PiP will be a small window in one of the corners.


As for HDTV aspect ratio, yes it is 16:9. As someone already said, make sure your cable box knows it is connected to a widescreen TV.


You will only be able to watch HDTV by selecting Component 2 (or 3, whichever you connected the cable box to). Now using the cable box remote you change channels. All channels are available (including HDTV).


Sooke

 

[BillP]

I'm not sure why the splitter in the TV would be any better quality than a separate splitter. In any case, a splitter is necessary if you want to record (with a VCR or DVD recorder) and don't want to go through the cable box (for example, recording from SD channels and being able to watch a different channel at the same time, or recording from 2 different channels without having to manually change the channel on the cable box, which you might want to do if you are away for a few days).

 

[Taylormade2]

I don't think the point about using the TV splitter vs a separate splitter was made to address a quality issue. I think the point is why buy a separate splitter for PIP purposes when the TV already has one.

 

[RSawdey]

The cable signal doesn't normally go 'through' the STB... the output of 'RF over coax' on the STB is a fake NTSC signal which is a downconvert of whatever is being watched on the component output. There is an optional 'RF bypass' mode that will pass through, if you have the hardware option and are configured that way.

 

[recruitman]

thanks for all the help!!!


I hooked it up as suggested using the TV's splitter and it works - into the TV from the wall then out from the TV into the HDTV box.


I have noticed pictialization - not often but sometimes, which I never saw running the coax straight into the HDTV box. Would using a high quality splitter help this?? Or would it be the same unless you go directly into the HDTV box????


Thanks,

 

[BillP]

Hard to tell. The pixelations could be coming from the network (Fox was pixelating like crazy for about 3 days and then abruptly stopped yesterday; since it was the only station doing it, I assume it was the station and not the TV or set-up).